Smart Thinking for Crazy Times: the Art of Solving the Right Problems

Rating:
Summary: Brevity and lack of focus hide a couple of good ideas
Review: About the first 1/3 of this book is a good, if brief introduction to systems-based problem-solving. The book focuses on taking a broad view of all aspects of the problem, not on a highly-analytical breaking-down of a situation. This is fine, though not earth-shatteringly good or original. Unfortunately, the middle half of the book is an unfocused meandering about the contributions of Hollywood to violence in society, and then to the problems faced in managing nuclear weapons. The last part of the book has a fairly good discussion of the four basic Jungian personality types, and how personality type affects problem-solving. This is pretty good stuff, but it is about the length of a magazine article. Not a worthless book, but not a particularly good value for your money.

Rating:
Summary: A Solid Effort!
Review: In this book, Ian Mitroff attacks problem-solving by defining the first step: asking the right questions. He shows you how to use critical thinking skills to find the right problems, frame them correctly and implement appropriate solutions to solve or resolve them.

This book is thoughtful and well-organized, just as you might hope it would be since it teaches critical thinking. It is also well-written and well-illustrated, featuring numerous diagrams that illuminate better ways of thinking. Mitroff includes examples of well-known companies which have made major mistakes that cost millions of dollars because they failed to recognize the right problem in time. He also gives examples of companies that succeeded through improved critical thinking and problem identification. We [...] recommend this interesting book to all business problem-solvers.


Rating:
Summary: Asks the right questions
Review: The book's impact was made at the end of the first chapter. There I read Critical Questions and tried to answer them. These weren't questions about the material I had just read, but questions about me and my organization and how we deal with problems. Subsequently, the end of each chapter brought more questions to work on.

The book focuses on the problem solving process and the search for the real problem. Many management books solve predefined problems, which are good books, as long as you're sure you've picked the right problem.

The book is a quick read, interspersed with graphics that illustrates the text. Part 3 of the three part book delves into systematic thinking and touches on Jungian analysis, personality types, 5 Ways of Thinking, and even 12-Step programs.

As the saying goes, "Identifying a problem is half way to solving a problem." This book will help you find the right problem.